2009 · Album
The Astounding Eyes of Rita
Recorded October 2008, Italy · ECM · Released: September 25, 2009
Pulse Returns to Brahem's Chamber World
After years of sparse chamber music, Brahem brings back a steady pulse without losing the mystery.
From the first moments, you hear the oud anchoring something that breathes—there's a pulse here, a propulsive undercurrent that pulls the music forward rather than letting it drift. It's a significant shift. The texture is warm and conversational, voices layered in close quarters, no echo chamber, no space wasted. The tempo never rushes, but it never stalls either. This is chamber music with momentum.
After working through sparser, more austere territory, Brahem has brought ensemble partners back into the fold, and the chemistry sounds deliberate. The musicians work around each other with restraint, leaving air between the lines, but the overall effect is more grounded than his recent work had been. There's a solidity here that earlier albums lacked—less floating, more walking.
All About Jazz critic John Kelman heard this as a return to the aesthetic that defined Le pas du chat noir (2002)—that blend of mystery and accessibility. He called it Brahem's most aesthetically unified album to date, which lands as a genuine compliment from someone who knows the catalog. If you've found his chamber recordings too austere, this is the entry point. If you already know those albums, this one rewards returning to.
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